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"This is critical information for persons either planning or knowing parties planning to sail in the area that transverses the seas off the coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea South to the Mozambique Channel and East to the coast of India," the ISS said in a statement.

The notice discusses the four Americans killed last month when their vessel was hijacked by Somali pirates and talks about the immediate need for people sailing in those areas to know about the dangers in that area of the world.

"Oceangoing sailing vessel rallies and U.S. pleasure vessels involved in circumnavigation voyages may be unaware of the extreme risk to life and vessels operating off the east coast of Africa," the Coast Guard said in its message.

"District and unit recreational boating specialists and unit auxiliarists should ensure the widest dissemination/education of this ... and take every opportunity to meet with yachting center managers and post/distribute the subject document directly to yacht operators/owners who could be planning future circumnavigation voyages."